HIS HATE took away a face, YOUR LOVE gives a new one

Uttar Pradesh. Wedding time. The sun is shining, the birds are tweeting their joy from the trees. Flowers are blossoming, the grass is green, the sky is blue. People are walking around, it is a wedding they are attending. They have smiles on their faces, they are happy that two happy friends found each other for life. Chatting with each other, talking about the couple, about nice and funny things they experienced together. Yes, this sounds very nice, even cheesy and kitschy. And it does not fit to the story we want to tell, we have to tell.

The real story is rather like:

PAIN!! PAIN!! HORRIBLE PAIN!

Incredible physical pain. She is not even able to realize what this physical pain means. That this physical pain is just a small part of a state that is even more painful. The psychological pain. The emotional pain. The pain to be forced to live in your past if you want to enjoy life. The pain that if you want to see yourself again you have to look into pictures.

INCREDIBLE OVERALL PAIN!!!

Lalita Ashok Benbansi is from East Mumbai. She went to Uttar Pradesh. Wedding time. But not the setting above. A different one. Arguments. Tension. Hate. Growing and growing, over the next months, hate and anger. And then it happens. Some months later, the outburst. November 11th in 2012, exactly 2 years and 10 days ago, Lalita was attacked with acid. In her face, nack and back. Why did he do that? Why did he destroy her life, the life of her family of the people around her? One cannot look at the pictures, they are horrifying. Still one should. It is reality.

It is sad reality that in today’s times in of the greatest civilizations and cultures on earth, with a history that dates back thousands of years, some guys thinks they can just take a girl’s body and face and life and destroy it. It is unbelievable. But, it is reality.

Lalita lost one of her eyes, and the other, almost so. Her face has been left severely disfigured, and a part of her scalp is damaged. She has lost both her ears. Lost, gone, away!

The number of treatments and surgeries Lalita needs is countless. And very expensive. Skin needs to be transplanted from one body part to the other body part. A renowned plastic surgeon in Mumbai, who is a recipient of the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards, is doing the best he can. He also paid parts of the treatment himself, and some NGOs. And of course the family of Lalita. But Lalita’s family does not have that much money. Her father works at a petrol pump earning about INR 4000 (about USD 65) a month. And Lalita now needs additional USD 3.500.

It is US, that need to help now. Our families, our friends, the people that are not our friends but have a heart that need to help. So we at WomenNow.in ask you, please help and donate money.

The foundation “Make Love not Scars” supports acid attack victims in a great way. They launched a campaign we would like to support. We ask YOU, please support as well. Give just ONE dollar, it is helpful.

Before you buy the next glass of beer, think at Lalita, whose face has been taken away, and who really needs our help, our money, our love!

HIS HATE took away a face, YOUR LOVE gives a new one!